"God is Doing a New Thing!" Depok UBF's 2019 Report (INDONESIA)
2019 Indonesia Depok UBF Report
Key verse: Isaiah 43:19, See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Thank God for his mighty works upon Depok UBF in 2019. Throughout the year, we had endeavored to be one holding onto 2019 key verse based on John 17. We thank and praise God who had blessed us to bear the fruit of unity and love in spite of our mistakes, faults, and weaknesses. I’d like to share what God had done for us in 2019.
1. World mission
1) Attend 2019 New Year Asia Director’s Conference
In 2019, January, M. Peter Lee attended to the Asia Director’s Conference which was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and served the opening message with the title, “Grant Us the Promised Land!” Through the bible study of 1&2 Kings, he received much grace of God.
2) M. Eprin (USA) and. M. Johanna (Q Nation) visited us to attend Indonesia UBF 30th anniversary celebration and had a meaningful fellowship with us. In addition, E-Nang and Tommy (Washington, USA) also attended the funeral ceremony of E-Nang’s father and went back to Washington.
2. Bible Indonesia
1) The work of God’s words
We started off the new year 2019 with the new year messages. The first message was based on John 17, “Jesus’ Intercessory Prayer”, the second message was based on 2 Kings, “Become a Man of God”, and the third message was based on 1 Kings 3, “Give me Wisdom” Solomon’s prayer (Give Me Wisdom) and the fourth message was based on Luke 12:35-48, (Good and faithful servants). After that, we studied 1 and 2 Samuel and we learned the faith of David. God had poured his words out upon us through Easter and United Summer Bible Conference.
2) Easter Conference and United Conference
In 2019, we had the Easter Conference at our church because the Summer Bible Conference was so close to this conference. Through the Easter Conference, we wanted to make decisions to live as shepherds for God’s flock as witnesses of the risen Christ.
The United Summer Bible Conference was very meaningful because we celebrated 30th anniversary of Indonesia UBF. Those who were early members, Andrew & Hannah J. attended. And also the director of Korea UBF, Moses L., and James & Kyanhee L., Do-Young C., John S. from Korea, and Mark & Anna Y., and Jose & Maria A., from USA, attended and blessed the celebration. Additionally, M. Arita (Q nation) and M. Evi (USA) who were sent out from Indonesia attended and blessed the ceremony
3) Christmas Worship Service
On December, 15th, we had a United Christmas Worship Service. M. Jonathan K (Cawang UBF in Indonesia) delivered a message with the title, “Worship the baby, Jesus” based on Matthew 2. I believe that all attendees met the baby Jesus newly and made new decisions of faith to offer what we have to baby Jesus, such as our hearts, love, and sacrifices.
4) A new family established
At the end of the United Summer Bible Conference, there was a wedding ceremony between Robert (Chicago, USA) and Sofey (Indonesia). May God bless M. Robert to get a job which can support his permanent stay in Indonesia and serve the work of God.
5) Missionary Conference
It was from December 24-25. M. Peter L. served Bible studies for missionaries and second-gens based on Isaiah 43 entitled, “I will do new things” It was time for all of us to see the next 30 years with a greater vision of God in and among us as God had done great things in the last 30 years. New Indonesia coordinator, M. John L. served a message with the title, “Jesus who came to serve”. His message gave us a direction to learn what it means to serve others like Jesus and serve God’s ministries in Indonesia wholeheartedly.
6) Personal reviews of 2019
I began the new year, 2019 with a spiritual direction based on my year key verse, Luke 12 (Good and faithful servant). The reason why I had this key verse is that I needed God’s wisdom in terms of serving many tasks, such as Sunday messages, my job, 30th-anniversary preparation, discipleship ministry and so on. I wanted to have personal morning devotion, daily bread, and prayer. At the same time, I had prayed to be one among all our coworkers and chapters in Indonesia.
I prayed also for growing leaders to be one in Christ overcoming hidden divisions and separations among them. In spite of our efforts, there was an incident happened among members and it was like a furious storm that caused many members to be hurt and wounded for awhile. In the midst of trials and hardship, I also became an emotional person like a swayed reed by the winds rather than praying to God with spiritual discernment.
I had directions for 2019 to be a good and faithful servant. Looking back at the year of 2019, I had served the words of God poorly out of my busy time. I deeply repent of my lack of sincerity. In spite of my faults and short-comings, God was always gracious to me. I thank God for blessing me to serve 1&2 Samuel Bible studies and new year special lectures, Easter, and United Summer Bible Conference as well. As I had envisioned from God to translate the whole Bible into Indonesia's native languages, I may do so wholeheartedly. May God bless me to continue to grow as a good and faithful servant holding on Luke 12 as my key verse of 2020.
7) New directions in 2020 and prayer topics for Depok UBF
I deeply acknowledge that we have become more complacent due to the difficulty of engaging gospel ministries and raising disciples of Jesus. Personally, I want to compromise and live a comfortable life rather than overcoming the challenges. I pray for me and my family and ministry to be equipped with God’s new visions and hope in and among us. I thank and praise for the new visions of a new spiritual revival. We heard about a plan of moving the capital of Indonesia to a new place. It motivates us to rearrange the work of God with new visions. May God bless me and my family to be used more than before for the next 30 years of Indonesia's mission with the vision of God.
Prayer topics
(1) Establish 20000 bible teachers and 2000 house churches so that Indonesia may be the center of the gospel ministry to west Asia
(2) See the vision of God for the next 30 years
(3) Luke’s gospel messages and 120 Sunday Worship Service attendants and 120 one to one bible studies, House Church ministry and Campus disciple ministry, each person to serve each bible student, Raise one spiritual leader in each fellowship
(4) Complete 66 books of the Bible as Indonesian Messages
One word: See, I am doing a new thing!